By: Anthony Miller
After coming just two games from making the Stanley Cup Finals, the Dallas Stars look to take the next step with a title being brought to the metroplex.
Last season, the Dallas Stars finished fourth in the Western Conference and second in the Central Division with a 47-21-14 record. The Stars had a nice run in the first two rounds of the playoffs knocking off Minnesota in six games and Seattle in seven games.
Their season came to an unfortunate end against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Las Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals in six games. Despite the loss, it showcased the dominance of Dallas making their second appearance in the conference finals in four years.
Dallas’ biggest stars on the team was Jason Robertson who led the the Stars in goals for the second straight season with a career-high 46. Robertson also led the team in assists (63) and points (109).
Five players on the team recorded over 70 points on the season including Jamie Benn (78), Joe Pavelski (77), Roope Hintz (75), and Miro Heiskanen (73).
Jake Oettinger had a stellar season in front of the next winning 37 games and saving 91.9 percent of the shots. Oettinger allowed an average of 2.37 goals per game in 61 starts and 62 appearances.
2022 was also Peter DeBoer’s first season as head coach for the Stars after three seasons with Vegas as their head coach. DeBoer was able to help the team through former head coach Rick Bowness resigning from the team last May and lead them to the playoffs.
2023-2024 Season Expectations
Simply put, the expectations are high for the Dallas Stars. Many media outlets have them in their top fives in the power rankings and some even have them as the favorites to win the Western Conference. There is good reason for it.
Most of the team is returning with only five players being signed with only one signing with an NHL team. Their biggest re-signing from the team last year was Ty Dellandrea who played 82 games for the Stars in 2022.
With most of their signings being players who help with depth, the off-season was pretty quiet for the Stars. They only made one trade with defenseman Collin Miller being traded to the New Jersey Devils for a 2025 fifth round pick. Otherwise, Dallas should be rolling out the same starting lineup from last season which should lead to success.
Dallas Stars Storylines to Watch Out For
Oettinger’s usage has been a topic in the off-season and how he will perform for the team. He started 61 games in the regular season and 19 in the postseason. His workload has been heavy so the team will really lean on Scott Wedgewood to provide that relief for Oettinger and give him proper rest.
Robertson needs to continue his success from last season. The Stars will run their offense through him being one of the best players in the league. 50 or more goals and over 110 points should be attainable for him to hit. He has shown improvement each season so 2023-2024 should elevate his game even further.
The Stars in general have been on the edge of a Stanley Cup title, but have failed in the playoffs. Three years ago they almost won the title and were not able to finish the job. Dallas fans are expecting more and if the team falls short again, changes could be on the horizon. Until then, the team should see similar success to last year and hope they can get past the almighty Golden Knights in the West.
Prediction: First Place in Central Division, Second Place in Western Conference, Western Conference Finals Appearance
Featured Image via X (@DallasStars)